Spectacle for sunglass and information tag combination

ABSTRACT

The combination of spectacle or sunglass frames and a price or information tag which cannot be removed without mutilation or destruction thereof. The tag-frame combination cooperate to allow selective positioning of the tag relative to the frame.

1 Mute States Patent 1191 Seaver 1 June 12, 1973 1 SPECTACLE FORSUNGLASS AND 3,429,065 2/1969 Long et al 40/21 R INFORMATION TAGCOMBINATION 3,561,074 2/1971 Mosher et al. 40/21 R X [75] Inventor:Charles W. Seaver, Needham, Mass. FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [73]Assigneez American Optical Corporation 444,171 10/1912 France 40/21 RSouthbridge, Mass. 1 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell [22] Filed:Sept. 15, 1971 Assistant ExaminerWenceslao J. Contreras [21] AppL NM180,704 Att0rneyWilliam C. Nealon, Jeremiah J. Duggan,

1 Robert J. Bird et al.

[52] 11.8. Cl. 40/21 51 1111. c1. G09f 3/14 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field '01Search 40/21, 2, 20 The combination of p le 0r nglass frames and a priceor information tag which cannot be removed [56] References Cited withoutmutilation or destruction thereof. The tag- UNITED STATES PATENTS framecombination cooperate to allow selective posi- 2,016,059 10/1935 Stevens40/21 R the tag Blame to the frame 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PAIEIIEDJUN I 2 B73 FIG. I

FIG. 2

FIG.3

INVENTOR.

CHARLES W. SEAVER BY F 2 ATTORNEY SPECTACLE FOR SUNGLASS AND INFORMATIONTAG COMBINATION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ticket member. The strapmember cannot be removed from the ticket without mutilation ordestruction of either the strap or the ticket. The strap, ticket andadjacent parts of the eyeglass front cooperate to allow adlncreasingdifficulties are being encounter in 5 justable fixed positioning of theticket in at least two point-of-sale display of various small items ofmerchandise such as sunglasses. In the normal display of sunglasses ofdifferent styles and prices they are mounted on a single displaystructure. The price of the various styles is indicated by a tag whichmay be of the adhesive variety stuck on a lens or by a tag hung on astring from a sunglass temple, for example. Such price tags are easilyremoved without destruction thereof. This tempting set of circumstanceshas encouraged those less honest members of our society to substitutelow number price tags on high priced models. It is thus desirable that aprice tag be made available which will prevent this type of pilferage.The tag must be of such a character that it cannot be removed withoutmutilation or destruction, yet it must be of such a construction toencourage potential purchasers to try on the sunglasses with as littleinterference from the price tag as possible.

The prior art has suggested various types of semipermanent taggingarrangements; an example is US. Pat. No. 3,402,435 which I call afilament and socket type tagging system. An extremely flexible,elongated thread-like member has a socket at one end and one or aplurality of proturberances formed at the opposite end. Theproturberances are so designed as to allow easy insertion into thesocket but resist withdrawal from the socket. The area about theproturberances apthe next proturberance in the string of proturberancesthrough the socket thereby locking the tag on another pair ofsunglasses.

Many other prior art types of tagging arrangements are undesirable forsuch reasons as: difficulty in packaging, tangling between adjacenttags, too expensive or for cosmetic reasons, i.e., the tagging system isof such a type as to detract from the overall appearance of a sunglassthus reducing its saleability.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION vIt is thus among the objects of this inventionto provide an improved tagging system for spectacle and sunglass framesor the like whichsystem is economical, deters pilferage and facilitatespackaging and, displaying and sale of such frames.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, according to the present invention,there is provided a tagging system comprised of the combination ofspectacle or sunglass frame and a tag. The frame includes the usualfront consisting of adjacent eyewires interconnected by a bridge sectionand having a pair of pivotally attached rearwardly extending temples.The tag is comprised of a resilient, non-flexible strap member, theoutwardly extending arms of which encompass the bridge section of theframe and are attached to a positions. In the preferred embodiment, atthe point of display, the ticket is in a raised position above thebridge in a plane substantially parallel to the front. The name of themanufacturer is prominently displayed on that side of the ticket thusexposed. The tag is arranged to be moved downwardly to a position belowthe bridge in a plane parallel to the eyeglass front to expose the otherside of the ticket. Preferably, the price will appear on the side of theticket thus exposed.

Further objects and additional features and advantages will becomereadily apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to theattached drawings and the following detailed description of theinvention.

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tag portion according to thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the combination of the tag member of FIG. 1and an eyeglass frame with the ticket positioned in its lower position;

FIG. 3 is the arrangement of FIG. 2 with the ticket in its raised orupper position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIG. 1, the tagportion of my invention is comprised of a ticket member 10, havingfixedly secured thereto by metal rivet 11, a resilient band or strap 12which is generally U-shaped in cross-section. In the preferredembodiment, the ticket 10 is of lightweight cardboard about 0.02 inchesin thickness, the rivet 11 is a brass one and the strap is polyvinylchloride 0.02 inches in thickness and about 1 centimeter in width. Theaperture 13 formed between the edge 14 of the ticket 10 and theinterconnected rearwardly extending arms of the band 12 is sufficientlylarger than the bridge section encompassed thereby to. allow rotationthereabout.

Further referring to the preferred embodiment, the opening must besufficiently small to maintain the strap member shown in the positionsshown in FIGS. 2 and 3 as will be further discussed below. It is alsodesirable that the ticket member be of sufficient size as to overlapadjacent portions of the front and thus fall or press against the frontin the respective open and closed positions under the influence of theresilient band. The drawings are substantially to scale and thusrelative dimensions should be readily apparent to those skilled in theart.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a pair of sunglasses comprisedof a front 20 having attached thereto at opposite sides, temples 21 and22. The front itself is comprised of two eyewires 23 and 24interconnected by a bridge 25 to form adjacent lens apertures 26 and 27.In FIG. 2, the ticket 10 is shown in a lower position thus having anexemplary price exhibited to a potential purchaser. FIG. 3 is identicalto FIG. 2 except that the ticket 10 is in a raised position after beingrotated in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2 and in which the name of acompany or manufacturer can be seen. Since, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 areidentical except for ticket position, like numerals are used todesignate like parts.

The desirable feature of being able to readily fix the tickets in aplane parallel to the plane of the front in fact, in almost the sameplane, is most advantageous in packaging. There is no tangling ofloosely attached cord supported tickets. Since the aperture or openingformed between edge 14 of the ticket and the encompassing'arms of band12 is just larger than the bridge 25, the ticket member may not beremoved without destroying or damaging it. The adjacent eyewires are ofa vertical height sufficient to prevent removal. The strap and ticketare fixed in such a manner that an attempt to remove the rivet will ripor damage the ticket. Attempts to remove the rivet from the plastic willcause deformation or destruction of the strap. Of course, the mostexpedient and simplest way is to cut the strap or band with scissors orthe like. In actual use, the sunglass-tag combination will be mounted ona display, for example on a store counter. A wearer may select from thedisplayed models, move the tag assembly to its upper position and try onthe glasses. When a desired model is found the purchaser takes it to thecheck-out counter or the like where the clerk examines the tag to assureit has not been tampered with. Upon the completion of the sale, theclerk removes the tag.

In a preferred embodiment the strap is transparent so a wearer is ableto see the bridge and its interconnection to adjacent eyewires while heis trying the sunglasses on.

Preferably, the strap or band is wider than it is thick to provide abearing surface for rotation and assure proper placement of the twomessage carrying faces of the ticket.

While I prefer polyvinyl chloride, other plastic or comparable resilientmaterials may be used. Furthermore, instead of a rivet, other fasteningarrangements can be used as long as the other design parametersdiscussed above are retained.

Having thus described the invention in detail and with sufficientparticularity as to enable those skilled in the art to practice it, Iclaim as my invention the following:

1. The combination of a spectacle or sunglass frame and an informationtag, said frame including a front with a pivotally attached rearwardlyextending temple at each side, the front including a pair of lensreceiving apertures formed by adjacent eyewires interconnected by anintermediate bridge section, the bridge section being of smallercross-section than the vertical height of the eyewires, said tagcomprised of a strap member and a ticket member, the strap member beinga U- shaped member comprised of an arcuate section interconnecting twoelongated arms, means permanently securing the ends of the arms to aticket member, said strap member comprised of a stiff, non-flexible buttemporarily deformable generally U-shaped band the outwardly extendingarms of which encompass opposite sides of said bridge section, saidstrap being substantially wider than it is thick, and the ends of thearms secured by fastener means to the ticket member, the band andsecured ticket member arranged to maintain said information tag on thebridge section and prevent removal thereof without deformation ordestruction of the tag, said band being sufficiently resilient to allowtemporary deformation for rotation thereof about said bridge section,and yet recover its original configuration at upper and lower positionsrelative to said bridge to thereby maintain said tag in at least tworelatively fixed positions.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said -U- shaped band istransparent plastic.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which said ticket is of sufficient sizeto abutt against adjacent eyewire surfaces when the resilient band isrotated about said bridge section.

1. The combination of a spectacle or sunglass frame and an informationtag, said frame including a front with a pivotally attached rearwardlyextending temple at each side, the front including a pair of lensreceiving apertures formed by adjacent eyewires interconnected by anintermediate bridge section, the bridge section being of smallercross-section than the vertical height of the eyewires, said tagcomprised of a strap member and a ticket member, the strap member beinga U-shaped member comprised of an arcuate section interconnecting twoelongated arms, means permanently securing the ends of the arms to aticket member, said strap member comprised of a stiff, non-flexible buttemporarily deformable generally U-shaped band the outwardly extendingarms of which encompass opposite sides of said bridge section, saidstrap being substantially wider than it is thick, and the ends of thearms secured by fastener means to the ticket member, the band andsecured ticket member arranged to maintain said information tag on thebridge section and prevent removal thereof without deformation ordestruction of the tag, said band being sufficiently resilient to allowtemporary deformation for rotation thereof about said bridge section,and yet recover its original configuration at upper and lower positionsrelative to said bridge to thereby maintain said tag in at least tworelatively fixed positions.
 2. The combination of claim 1 in which said-U-shaped band is transparent plastic.
 3. The combination of claim 1 inwhich said ticket is of sufficient size to abutt against adjacenteyewire surfaces when the resilient band is rotated about said bridgesection.